PBS
Pbs: "Cora Unashamed" in the Classroom
Langston Hughes' short story "Cora Unashamed" was made into a Masterpiece Theatre production. This brief teacher guide offers ideas about using it in the classroom. The site also includes background on the time period, the Harlem...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Real World Conflict Resolution
A unit plan that uses short stories, graphic organizers, and journal writing to get students to think about conflict resolution. Uses "Abd al-Rahmen Ibrahima" by Walter Dean Myers, Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," and...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: O. Henry
Have you ever heard of O.Henry and his Texas tales? Use this informative resource featuring links to lesson plans, teaching ideas, biographical information and more.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: The Pros and Cons of Discussion
Contains plans for four lessons that use "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. to engage students in a discussion about what constitutes equality. Lessons use re-writes, persuasive essays, computer activities, and informal class...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Lois Duncan
What do you know about the life and work of Lois Duncan? This site features links to several of her books that contain lesson plans, teaching guides and more.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Developing Characterization in Carver?s ?A Small, Good Thing
Contains plans for three lessons that teach characterization using Raymond Carver's short story "A Small, Good Thing." In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to PDF handouts and sites used in the...
TES Global
Tes: Two Kinda Truth' by Farukh Dhondy
[Free Registration/Login Required] This site provides comprehension and theme-related activities to accompany Farukh Dhondy's short piece "Two Kinda Truth." False stereotypes and evidence of racism will be discussed in the lesson.
Teachnology
Teachnology: Lesson: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
In this lesson, young scholars use the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day as a springboard for writing their own very-bad-day story.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Avoiding Debt
Students read a short story and a handout to learn about excessive debt and ways to avoid or reduce debt.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Units: 11th Grade: Thematic Unit: Values and Beliefs
Complete teaching unit for 11th Grade Thematic Unit: "Values and Beliefs." Students will read 8 short stories that examine how values and beliefs are shaped. They will analyze these stories, and the short story form, while considering...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Character's Decalogue [Pdf]
In this instructional activity learners will write a personal decalogue for themselves, create a decalogue for an imaginary character and then, in the spirit of Because of Winn Dixie By Kate DiCamillo, they will write a short story where...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Critical and Analytical Thinking About Literary Characters
Contains plans for four lessons that use the short story "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry to teach about characterization using word maps. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Units: 5th Grade Author Study: Gary Soto
Complete teaching unit for 5th Grade Author Study: Gary Soto. Students will read 4 short stories and 2 poems by Gary Soto that examine romantic and family love. Students will analyze these texts while considering the essential question:...
Read Works
Read Works: Setting 3rd Grade Unit
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is series of two lesson plans designed to teach students to visualize the setting and determine its effect on characters in a fiction text. Lessons are based on two short texts and the book...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Introducing the Venn Diagram in the Kindergarten Classroom
Contains plans for short lessons that introduce the use of Venn Diagrams to kindergarten students. Uses interactive Venn Diagram exercises to make the concept easy to understand. In addition to objectives and standards, this...